Another weekend of hurling in store.

Round two of this years JJ Kavanagh & Sons County Senior Hurling Championship takes place this coming weekend and there is a number of possible interesting games to be fought out.

Abbeyside V Passage.

These two sides both played at Fraher Field last weekend in the first round of games in this years championship and had contrasting results. Passage minus the services of Noel Connors beat Ballyduff Upper by a point while Abbeyside minus the services of Gary Hurney lost out to County Champions Ballygunner by five.

This could well come down to a battle of the free takers. Mark Gorman did well on free taking duties last weekend for Abbeyside, even if he did miss some you would have expected hit to score from. Owen Connors also did extremely well for Passage from placed balls and they can if they need can call on Eoin Kelly to fill the roll as well.

Eoin Kelly last weekend showed signs of the Eoin Kelly of old, while Richie Foley made a comeback for Abbeyside after a long stint on the sidelines because of Injury. To see both do what they so best is good for Waterford hurling and hopefully we will see them again this weekend.

A close game is likely to be fought out between these two sides, with Abbeyside just getting the nod to collect the points on offer.

Ballygunner V Dungarvan.

Again two sides with contrasting results last weekend. The Gunners had five points to spare over Abbeyside while the Old Boro had a three point reversal against Lismore.

Both sides looked impressive last weekend which could mean that a good game will be fought out at Walsh Park this weekend.

The Gunners will once again be without Pauric Mahony this weekend but Wayne Hutchinson’s return to fitness and with another weeks training under his belt, means it’s not all bad news for the reigning champions.

The Old Boro side will have to make changes to their starting line out this weekend after Mickey Power’s sending off on a straight red last weekend. However, they have some good talented players in Dungarvan, both in their starting team and in reserve and should not have too much problems in replacing him.

Now in their third year back as a senior club, most would be expecting Dungarvan to make the knockout stages of this year’s championship, but they might have to wait a little longer to collect a first brace of points in 2012 till after this game.

Lismore V Ballyduff Upper

These two sides have met in recent years on a number of occasions, and have played out some closely fought games, attracting some considerable support especially from the far west of the county.

Last weekend, as in the previous two games previewed, the two sides had contrasting results. Lismore beat Dungarvan by three points while Ballyduff Upper lost out to Passage by a single point.

The Shanahan brothers last weekend were at their near best when playing against Dungarvan and were responsible for 1-16 of their sides’ total of 1-20. If they can replicate this form again, teams playing against them could be in some trouble.

Ballyduff Upper cannot afford to loose many more points after last weekends defeat if they are to reach the group stages of the competition.

In recent years results between the sides have tended to go in the direction of Lismore and on the performances served up last weekend, they have to get the nod for another two points here.

Fourmilewater V De La Salle

Both of these two sides won last weekend so barring a draw, which many would argue might be the fairest result ahead of the game, one of the two sides is going to loose ground at the top of the table.

Last weekend, De La Salle did well to beat fellow city side Mount Sion and to have nine points to spare.

The city side had Fourmilewater watched last weekend, but they will have learned very little they did not know already ahead of this weekends game as Fourmilewater proved far too strong for Roanmore winning the game at ease and could in fact if they so wished, could have won by a far greater margin.

This could well prove to be the game of the weekend and attract a good attendance to the Shandon Road venue. Victory could go either way, but you would have to favour De La Salle to collect the points.

Tallow V Roanmore

Yet another game where the sides had different results last weekend. Tallow did well to beat Dunhill, while Roanmore suffered a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Fourmilewater. Roanmore in this game were pretty awful and only managed to tag on the majority of their scores after Fourmilewater began to take players from the spine of their team.

Tallow went all the way to last years county final. There is an old saying that you have to loose one to win one, but you have to ask do Tallow have it in them to capture the Waterford and News and Star Cup. Despite having some good players to fill their jersey, you have to feel that for now anyway, they are not quite ready to mount the steps of Fraher Field or Walsh Park on County Final day.

Roanmore two years ago won the Intermediate County Final after playing in the grade for a number of years. Last year, they had to fight relegation and did so beating Stradbally in a play off game.

In Gavin O’Brien they have a terrific young talent, but do they over rely on him. What happens if he was to be well marshalled in a number of successive games?

Having seen both sides play last weekend, even if Tallow for long periods struggled against Dunhill, you have to feel that the points on Saturday evening will be heading Bride-side.

Dunhill V Mount Sion

This is the only game this weekend where the two sides facing each other last weekend did not win, so there is no doubt both will be going all out for a win to ensure they do not loose any further ground and the other teams in the group.

Mount Sion’s defeat to De La Salle was one that was not a surprise, but what was a surprise was the winning margin.

Dunhill against Tallow impressed and could have won the game. A brace of goals before the break in Tallow’s favour proved crucial to the games final outcome.

Dunhill will travel to Walsh Park spurred on by this performance but you cant feel that Mount Sion should prove too good for them with their experience playing a key role especially in the final quarter of the game.

Fixtures:

Group One.

Saturday 12 May        Abbeyside V Passage in Walsh Park at 7-30pm

Sunday 13 May          Ballygunner V Dungarvan in Walsh Park at 3-30pm

Sunday 13 May          Lismore V Ballyduff Upper in Fraher Field at 7-00pm

Group Two

Saturday 12 May        Fourmilewater V De La Salle in Fraher Field at 6-00pm

Saturday 12 May        Tallow V Roanmore in Fraher Field at 7-30pm

Sunday 13 May          Dunhill V Mount Sion in Walsh Park at 2-00pm